Agile Project Management: The Beginners’ Guide

With project management, you can get the job done in different ways. It may be frustrating and hair-pulling at times. You may have deadlines to meet. There may be a need to conduct meetings and guide team members. Here, the popular methodology is Agile project management.

What is Agile project management?

Agile is a methodology value-driven used to increase improvement and performance. This project management style uses a development cycle. Agile helps to cut out error-filled habits that project managers usually get stuck with. With agile project management, you can produce better results.

Agile is interactive and flexible. The deadlines move when the project goals change. Agile relates to changing and adapting. It allows thinking first about the customer to get the highest quality product. You can stay up to date to better manage time and cost with real-time information.

Agile project management is a substitute for other methodologies.

Agile Characteristics

There is a difference between Agile and standard methods. Agile project management is efficient in comparison to the standard method. A few characteristics of agile are:

• It depends on the period. Each iteration duration is fixed, and there is no room for modification.
• It relies on development cycles. It lasts for 1-4 weeks of iteration. Each cycle needs regular evaluation. The iterations help to focus on specific project development.
• The client is free to know. Each iteration ends is easy to present, and it gives a milestone to your team. There is the benefit that the client also gets to know what is going on.

Agile 12 Principles

The principles of Agile project management are known as Agile 12 principles. The principles are useful in the dark as a guiding light. The best thing is the principles that are easy and simple to remember:

1. Agile harnesses change easily, and it is used to one’s advantage.  Thus, users can welcome change in the stages of late development.
2. Early delivery is the priority, and there is continuous software to satisfy a customer.
3. Team members and stakeholders should work together. They should bridge the gap of communication and stay on top to know the wants of a customer.
4. Frequently deliver products sticking to your iterations. It is crucial in the first week, even if it is a working product. It allows to rework, and testing if required.
5. The working product progress is the primary measure.
6. Your team should include motivated individuals. Give them the space and resources they need and watch them perform.
7. Never lose momentum. A constant progress pace is a must. Set deadlines and milestones and ensure to meet them.
8. Attention to functionality excellence and design enhances agility.
9. Do not work harder than the requirement. It applies to Agile project management.
10. The conversation is face-to-face as one on one. It is an efficient and effective way of conversation. It is better to get direct information from the source. Thus, you know the information is accurate and get a direct response.
11. A team should think and take regular pauses about ways to improve. Regularly scheduled meetings are a must as there is room for improvement, at any time. Thus, the scheduled meetings help to focus on and discuss how things can improve, and everyone can be better.
12. The best team is the self-organized one. A team that is aware of organizing itself will be more productive and efficient than a team requiring supervision constantly.

How to Implement Agile Project Management

Agile project management implementation is a must in your workflow. It explains clearly why there is a need for change.  If you lack experience with agile project management, seek advice on consulting. Listen to team members. Have genuine conversations and get feedback about the way Agile affects them. It will be beneficial when changes follow.